PUBLIC SECT0R: UN refugee body steps up lobbying efforts in the UK

The move has come to better handle media and government relations for
what newly appointed head of press and PA Simon Taylor calls 'one of the
current political hot potatoes'.

An integrated press and public affairs department has been created with
consultant Taylor recruited as its first head. He has been hired on a
full-time six-month contract.

The key task of the four-strong team is to make UK politicians and the
public aware of refugee issues across the world and achieve better
understanding of refugees who come to the UK.

Taylor stressed it was not the UN's role to prescribe policy but to work
with government to ensure that it serves the best interests of
refugees.

Referring to negative images of asylum seekers in certain areas of the
media, he said: 'The aim is to create better understanding across all
the media. I believe that right across the country people are basically
sympathetic to the cause of refugees who flee persecution.

'Issues surrounding refugees and economic migrants have become clouded,'
he said, adding that economic migrants have an important role in UK
society.

Taylor reports to Anne Dawson-Shepherd, the UNHCR UK representative who
has overseen the creation of his role.

Media relations was previously overseen by head of press Clare Doole,
who has since left the organisation.

Last week a MORI poll on behalf of Amnesty International in the UK found
that 85 per cent of people believe that the media portrays asylum
seekers in a negative way.

The poll found many people believe that as many as 29 per cent of the
world's refugees are in the UK. The figure is, in fact, less than two
per cent.